Seal-lock.



No. 658,638. Patented Sept. 25, |900.

H. M. GROVER.

SEAL LOCK.

(Application led Deel 14, 1899.) (No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet I No. 658,638. Patented Sept. 25, |900.

H. M. GROVER.

SEAL LOCK.

{Appncman med me. 14, 1999.) (Ho Model.; 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

l f4 E527 /N VENTOH Unirse -Starts PATENT OFFICE.

HENRY MARTIN GROVER, OF WALLINGFORD, VERMONT, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO FRANCIS H. HOADLEY, OF SAME PLACE.

SEAL-LOCK.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 658,638. dated September 25, 1900.

Application led December 14, 1899. Serial No. 740,299. (No model.)

Be it known that LHENRY MARTIN GROVER, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of lVallingford, in the county of Rutland and Stale of Vermont, have invented a new and Improved Seal-Lock, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

This invention relates to improvements in seal-locks for railway-cars; and the object is io provide a seal-lock of simple and comparatively-inexpensive construction so arranged that it will be impossible to pick or open the lock without [irst breaking the seal, and, further, to provide a seal-lock that can be easily and quickly operated.

`I will describe a seal-lock embodying my invention and then point out the novel features in the appended claims.

Reference is to be had tothe accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, in which similar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the figures.

Figure 1 isa perspective View of aseal-lock embodying my invention. Fig. 2 is a perspective view with the latch omitted. Fig. 3 is a section on the line 3 3 of Fig. 1. Fig. 4 is a section on the line 4 4 of Fig. 3, and Fig. 5 is a detail showing the locking-bolt in its locking position.

The lock comprises a keeper-plate 1 and a latch 2. The keeper-plate is designed to be attached to the frame 3 of a door, while the latch 2 is arranged to swing on the door 4. As here shown, the latch is secured to the door by means of a staple 5 passing through a slot in the end of the latch and into the door. The keeper-plate has a socket portion 6 to receive a downwardly-extended lug 7 on the latch. The plate 1 has a tubular extension S, which extends through the door-frame, as plainly indicated in Fig. 3, and arranged to move in this tubular projection is a locking-bolt 9, normally pressed forward by means of a spring 10, which engages at one end with a block 11, having screw-thread engagement with the inner end of the tube 8. The bolt 9 is movable through an opening 12 in the plate 1, and it is provided with ribs 13, which engage in slots formed in opposite walls of the opening 12. The purpose of these ribs will be hereinafter described.

Thehead of the latch is provided with a depression 14 to receive a seal 15. The seal is held in place by means of a semicircular channeled dange 16 on the head of the latch. Vhen the latch is in engagement with the plate, the lower portion of the seal will be engaged bythe inner wall of the socket 6. The upper portion of this Wallis made semicircular, as indicated in the drawings, so that when the parts are in engagement this semicircular portion, with the selnicircular portion of the flange 16,will form a round opening.

The seal l5 is made of transparent material-`-such, for instance, as glass-that may be easily broken when it is desired to operate the lock, and behind the seal a tag 17, of paper or thelike, may be placed. Upon this tag any desired printed matter may be placed.

The seal is convexed on its outer side and the inner side is concaved, while the basewall of the depression 14 is conveXed to conform to the inner side of the seal, and the greatest projection of said base-wall is substantially on a plane with the walls of the dange-channels. Thisisan essentialfeature, because it prevents the insertion of a flat glass seal.

In operation when it is desired to open the lock and while the lock is in the position indicated in Fig. 1 the seal 15 is to be broken and also the paper, so that a suitable instrument, such as a screw-driver, may be engaged with the locking-bolt 9, which normally extends into an opening 18 in the head of the latch. The end of the bolt is provided with a notch to receive a screw-driver, so that after forcing the bolt longitudinally inward against the resistance of its spring it may be given a slight turn to engage the forward ends of the ribs 13 with the end wall of the tubular projection 8, as indicated in Fig. 2. Then after removing the screw-driver the latch may be lifted out of engagement with the plate, after which the bolt may be turned with the ribs in line with the notches, so that. the spring will force the bolt outward.

When it is desired to lock the device with a new seal inserted, the seal is to be placed in the latch, and then the latch is to be moved into engagement with the keeper, which will force the locking-bolt inward against the resist- IOO ance of the spring, and When the opening in the latch-head is in line with the bolt the said bolt Will be moved into the opening.

In order that an ordinary padlock or an ordinary Wire seal may be used to lock the parts together, I provide the plate l with a forward extension 19 and the latch 2 with a forward eXtensionBO. These extensions have alined openings through which the bolt of the padlock or the wire seal may be inserted.

It will be observed that the lock itself is of very simple construction and has no parts liable to get ont of order, and the seals will be comparatively inexpensive.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patentl. In a seal-lock, a keeper, a latch for engaging with the keeper and having a seal-receiving depression, the base-wall thereof being convex, a seal having its inner` side concave, and a bolt for locking the latch and keeper together, the said seal being held in place by the keeper and the latch engaging with its periphery, substantially as specified.

2. In a seal-lock, a keeper having a socket, the upper portion of the socket-wall being semicircnlar, a latch provided with a portion for engaging in the socket, the said latch having a depression the base of which is convex, a semicircular flange on the latch and having a channel, a seal' concave on its inner side and adapted to engage in said channel and to be held by the liange and the wall of the socket, and a spring-pressed bolt for locking the latch and keeper together, substantially as specified.

3. In a seal-lock, a keeper-plate adapted to be rigidly attached to a car, a latch adapted for swinging connection with a car-door and having a lug for engaging in a socket in the keeper-plate, a spring-pressed locking-bolt movable through an opening in the keeperplate and into an opening in the latch, and a transparent seal adapted for connection with the latch, the seal being concave on its inner side to receive a projection of the latch, substantially as specified.

4. In a seal-lock, a keeper-plate' having a tubular extension, a locking-bolt movable in said extension and into an opening in the keeper-plate, a rib on said bolt for engaging in a channel in the wall of the opening through the keeper-plate, a spring in the, extension for pressing the bolt forward, a removable block for the inner end of the extension and against which the spring engages, and a latch adapted for engagement with the keeper and to receive the locking-bolt, substantially as specified'.

In. testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

HENRY MARTIN GROVER.

Witnesses:

JOHN D. MILLER, H. C. COLE. 

